Chapter 554
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 554
Chapter Title: That Is Not Chivalry
Just as Gwan Po kicked off the ground and swung his saber down at Gwan Ha-kyeong.
The three corps leaders of the Plum Fragrance Sect surrounded Feng Geon in a pincher formation.
They intended to take on one opponent using the Plum Fragrance Sect's enveloping formation.
A faint purple sword aura formed on their blades.
A deep blue sword aura surged up from Feng Geon's sword.
Feng Geon raised his shield.
The shield, infused with his internal energy, faintly emitted shield qi.
Tension was evident on Feng Geon's face.
Though he had trained in shield arts, he wasn't as proficient as those from the Fierce Dragon Corps.
He fell short compared to Gwan Ha-kyeong as well.
At least when it came to shield arts, Yu Gwi-gwang was undoubtedly the best.
Heavenly Fragrance Corps Leader Ji Mun-gi and Earth Fragrance Corps Leader Go Won charged at Feng Geon simultaneously.
Bang! Kang!
The moment he blocked their strikes with his shield and sword.
Human Fragrance Corps Leader Ban Go-rok rushed toward Feng Geon's exposed back.
'Easy.'
Perfect vulnerability.
Compared to Gwan Ha-kyeong, who was locked in a fierce clash with Gwan Po nearby, this one seemed like a walkover.
As he swung his sword with that thought.
Thud!
A dull pain erupted from his abdomen.
"Guhk."
The breath-bursting sound came right after.
When had it shot out?
Feng Geon's foot had slammed into Ban Go-rok's gut and was withdrawing.
Feng Geon's eyes were deeply sunken.
Seizing the moment Ban Go-rok was stunned by the unexpected blow, Feng Geon slipped between Ji Mun-gi and Go Won.
Feng Geon wasn't playing purely defensive just because he had raised his shield.
On the contrary, he grew even more aggressive.
His shield completely blocked Ji Mun-gi's line of sight, and his sword thrust toward Go Won's waist.
Kang!
Go Won barely deflected Feng Geon's sword.
Using the rebound force, Feng Geon spun his body fiercely, swinging his shield at Go Won while his sword slashed toward Ban Go-rok.
"Heuk."
Startled, Ban Go-rok unleashed Nayrata-style techniques, rolling across the ground to desperately evade Feng Geon's attack.
Bang!
In that interval, Go Won raised his sword to block the shield again.
Targeting the opening thus revealed, Ji Mun-gi lunged in, but Feng Geon's sword had already whipped back to parry his strike.
It was three against one, yet Feng Geon didn't yield an inch.
Though all four were at the peak realm, objectively speaking, Feng Geon's level was half a step higher than the other three.
'He's got plenty of real combat experience.'
Ban Yun thought as he watched Feng Geon.
And above all, he was far more accustomed to battle than the three corps leaders.
That was why he wasn't pushed back even in a three-on-one fight.
He knew when to strike and withdraw, when to press the attack, and when to hunker down, responding with precise timing.
'Must be the Demon-Sealing Corps, after all.'
Countless battles against jiangshi in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
That experience had forged his skill.
Gwan Po and Gwan Ha-kyeong's duel was much the same.
Their realms were similar, but Gwan Ha-kyeong's experience gave her the edge.
The way she handled her saber clearly showed she had accumulated real combat prowess.
She fell short of Feng Geon, but against Gwan Po, she had more than enough to spare.
'This won't be easy.'
If time dragged on like this, it would never turn in their favor.
No matter how he looked at it, those two didn't seem likely to lose.
Then he'd have to face them alone afterward.
No matter how exhausted they'd be.
Their seasoned display weighed on Ban Yun as well.
Thus.
Shing.
Ban Yun drew his sword again.
Igniting a deep purple aura, he launched himself at Feng Geon.
He decided to take out one first, choosing Feng Geon as the target.
It was a judgment call since they were his own disciples, making coordination easier.
Shuuung.
Ban Yun's sword flew swiftly toward Feng Geon's head.
Kwak!
The sword embedded into the shield.
The three corps leaders' swords were busy being repelled by the internal energy coating Feng Geon's shield, but Ban Yun was different.
"Kuhk."
Feng Geon let out a groan.
He couldn't move the shield with Ban Yun's sword lodged in it.
With half his body restrained like that.
Three swords flew toward the opening.
Feng Geon abandoned the shield.
He shoved it away with all his might and countered the three closing in on him.
His blue sword aura flared, deflecting all three blades at once.
He swiftly pulled back from the battlefield.
Because Ban Yun, having already yanked his sword free from the shield, was bearing down on his back.
Boom!
Dust rose from the ground.
"Like a damn rat."
Ban Yun spat.
"Ganging up four against one and talking big."
Feng Geon had already picked up a spare shield he'd prepared.
Kuwaaang!
A massive explosion erupted between Gwan Ha-kyeong and Gwan Po, and Gwan Ha-kyeong's form darted toward Feng Geon.
In an instant, the two stood back-to-back.
"How long can you hold out?"
Gwan Ha-kyeong asked.
"Who knows. The Plum Fragrance Sect Leader is incredibly strong."
It was sincere.
Gwan Ha-kyeong nodded at Feng Geon's response.
She had blocked one of Ban Yun's strikes herself, after all.
"Attack."
Ban Yun shouted as he advanced.
The three corps leaders followed, charging at Feng Geon.
"Iiiiaaaahhh!!"
Gwan Po stubbornly targeted only Gwan Ha-kyeong.
With their backs covered at least, Gwan Ha-kyeong and Feng Geon focused on frontal and flanking assaults, fending off the enemies' onslaught.
Their defense, bolstered by shields, was solid.
The shield qi, once mere emanation, gradually thickened and soon brimmed with aura.
"Hoo. Hoo. Hoo."
After a prolonged exchange, a brief lull.
Feng Geon heaved ragged breaths.
His body was drenched in sweat.
"Heok. Heok."
Gwan Ha-kyeong was breathing hard too.
Since she only had to handle Gwan Po, her condition was slightly better than Feng Geon's.
But Gwan Po pressed on relentlessly, like a man with no tomorrow, storming like a gale, so Gwan Ha-kyeong was fairly worn out too.
"Kuhuk. Heok. Heok. Heok......"
Of course, Gwan Po was in even worse shape.
"Haa. Haa."
"Hoo."
"Heok."
The three corps leaders were also sweating profusely, regulating their breathing.
Only Ban Yun appeared composed.
He looked at Feng Geon and Gwan Ha-kyeong and spoke.
"What in the world is the point of this? All the retainers of Yuun Martial Hall seem to have fled already."
At noon.
When Ban Yun arrived at Yuun Martial Hall, he had already noticed.
There were no signs of life inside the hall.
Feng Geon stared steadily at Ban Yun, who posed the question, and countered.
"I hear you're a disciple of Huashan Sect. Aren't you ashamed of this?"
Ban Yun smirked at Feng Geon's question.
"Ashamed of what? Teaming up with the unorthodox paths to bully a martial hall? You see it as a forced pretext?"
"If it's not forced, then what is it?"
"What's forced about it? That disciples of orthodox halls can scorn unorthodox warriors just because?"
Righteousness was righteousness.
There was no rule allowing the orthodox to belittle the unorthodox simply for being orthodox.
"If apologizing for wrongdoing ended it, but you escalated it—what is that if not forced?"
"So killing someone can be brushed off with an apology?"
"Did a disciple of Yuun Martial Hall kill someone from the unorthodox?"
Question for question between the two.
"Forced or not, we have justification."
"That is not chivalry."
Ban Yun smiled again at Feng Geon's retort.
"You must still cling to romance. Searching for chivalry in this martial world, this jianghu. It vanished after two great wars. Only power and profit remain."
"If we move solely by profit and power, then why call ourselves orthodox?"
Feng Geon's question carried a subtle fury.
"That's power too."
Ban Yun's reply was curt.
"Bullshit."
But the curse came from Gwan Po's mouth.
"You'd latch onto demonic cults or blood cults if it meant power and profit?"
Ban Yun shook his head at Gwan Po's rage-filled question.
"I know my lines too. Would I side with those inhuman freaks? That would be crossing it."
Feng Geon raised his sword again.
"The unorthodox seem more like Plum Fragrance Sect folk."
Blue sword aura rose, and shield aura formed.
Generating aura on both sword and shield drained his internal energy rapidly.
He didn't know how much longer he could hold.
But he'd fight as long as he could.
That was the chivalry Feng Geon believed in.
"I'll praise you for lasting this long. But now it's time to end it."
Ban Yun raised his sword and sent a transmission to the three corps leaders.
Heavenly Fragrance and Earth Fragrance Corps Leaders headed toward Gwan Ha-kyeong, while Human Fragrance Corps Leader, his face etched with dissatisfaction, fell back.
Ban Yun stood alone before Feng Geon.
"What the hell is this?"
Gwan Po growled with a savage glare.
"We've waited plenty. Now we'll finish it."
Heavenly Fragrance Corps Leader Ji Mun-gi declared.
"Ha."
Gwan Po exhaled in disbelief.
"Just gonna plop your spoon and chopsticks on the meal I prepared?"
As his feral aura turned toward Heavenly Fragrance and Earth Fragrance Corps Leaders.
"You, get lost now."
Human Fragrance Corps Leader Ban Go-rok blocked Gwan Po's path.
"You bastard......"
Sparks flew from Gwan Po's eyes.
"Not much of a meal if you're in this state."
At Ban Go-rok's words, Gwan Po immediately swung his saber at him.
"You son of a bitch!"
Kang!
Saber aura clashed with sword aura.
Ban Go-rok didn't budge backward.
And rightly so, for Gwan Po was utterly exhausted.
The aftermath of pouring everything into his earlier bout with Gwan Ha-kyeong.
Ban Yun, having gauged his state, had Ban Go-rok step in instead.
Internal strife erupted between Plum Fragrance Sect and Black Veil Hall.
But it was between the most fatigued Gwan Po and the weakest Ban Go-rok.
The enemies Feng Geon and Gwan Ha-kyeong had to face remained intact.
Ban Yun.
Heavenly Fragrance Corps Leader Ji Mun-gi and Earth Fragrance Corps Leader Go Won.
"From here on, I can't guarantee your life."
Ban Yun said to Feng Geon.
Thick killing intent rose in his eyes.
The recent debate with Feng Geon.
It was clearly Feng Geon's victory, Ban Yun's argument forced.
From clashing swords with him so far, he wasn't some noteworthy orthodox talent to handle with care.
His sword was orthodox, but if it was a technique Ban Yun didn't recognize, it must be from some minor sect.
Unlike Gwan Ha-kyeong, he felt no qualms taking this one's life.
"Come to think of it, I never asked your name."
Still, as an orthodox warrior, it was his final mercy before killing an enemy.
To learn the foe's name.
"Feng Geon of Incineration Grounds."
"Gwan Ha-kyeong of the Fierce Dragon Corps."
Gwan Ha-kyeong followed Feng Geon's introduction.
At "Fierce Dragon Corps," Ban Yun looked surprised.
He'd assumed Demon-Sealing Corps.
But that hardly mattered.
What mattered was that the girl called Gwan Ha-kyeong was a disciple of Dorim Sect.
Purple sword aura surged on the blades of Ban Yun, Ji Mun-gi, and Go Won.
"Not much farther now."
Plum Blossom Sword Sage spoke as the walls of Upper South came into distant view.
At his words, Wi Su-yeon pushed harder off her legs.
She didn't know what kind of dan it was, but after consuming it, running her internal energy at full throttle was actually increasing it bit by bit.
Her dantian grew firmer.
Such gains just from lightfoot skill.
It had to be an incredible spiritual elixir.
Yet since Plum Blossom Sword Sage said nothing about it, she had no way to know what it was.
"You can run faster."
At Wi Su-yeon's words from behind, Gwi Hwi nodded slightly.
Her voice certainly held reserve.
'The pill's effect is kicking in already. Truly a prodigy.'
Though he'd given her the dan intentionally, its effect surpassed Gwi Hwi's expectations.
Even reconsidering, he didn't regret handing it to Wi Su-yeon.
Tahat!
Gwi Hwi's feet struck the ground harder.
Huashan Sect's lightfoot skill, Floating Clouds Ten Thousand Miles Flight, was unleashed to its limit.
Wi Su-yeon also pushed Floating Clouds Ten Thousand Miles Flight to its peak, chasing behind.
In moments, they reached Upper South's walls, vaulting over not the gate but the wall itself into the interior.
No need to search for Yuun Martial Hall.
They could sense the battle between peak masters somewhere.
If it wasn't at the hall, it'd be fortunate; if it was, they had to aid it somehow, so Gwi Hwi ran at full speed.
It wasn't far.
As he headed toward the sensed presences, Gwi Hwi furrowed his brow.
The familiar aura of swordsmanship emanating from it.
'No way......'
It was an aura no black path sect could emit, as he'd heard from Hu Gae.
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